Sierra cruises into Linden Tournament championship

Sierra’s girls basketball team didn’t have any trouble during the semifinals of the Linden Tournament on Friday night.

The Timberwolves (4-1) were led by senior Celine Barber’s 21 points, as they knocked off the host 52-33 and moved on to today’s championship game against Bret Harte at 5:30 p.m.

Linden went on a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull within eight, but sophomore Kayla Wilson (15 points) hit a pair of technical free throws with 3 mintues, 30 seconds remaining to shift momentum back to Sierra. Wilson finished 7 of 9 from the free-throw line.

Keanna Barber hauled in nine rebounds to go with four steals.

“I am extremely proud of our intensity we came out with,” Sierra head coach Martha Spivey said. “We fought from the tip off to the last buzzer and didn’t collapse when Linden made their run.”

W. Ranch 61, Calaveras 51

The Cougars (4-0) punched their ticket to today’s final of the Stagg Tourmament after A.J. Brown netted 15 points and helped her squad remain undefeated.

Weston Ranch led 15-9 after the first quarter and took a 28-21 advantage into the break. The Cougars outscored Calaveras by two in the second half to hang on.

Alayah Thomas finished with 14 and Elisabeth Alexander 12. Weston Ranch faces Mission San Jose for the title tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Lathrop 50, Escalon 30

The Spartans picked up their first win of the season after Loreal Taylor registered a team-high 16 points to go with nine rebounds during the Linden Tournament consolation semifinal.

Lathrop (1-3) went into the locker room ahead 27-14 and closed on a 13-3 fourth-quarter run to punch its ticket to the loser’s bracket title game today at 2:30 p.m. against Pitman.

Point guard Lauren Collins scored 10 and grabbed five rebounds. Desiree Mendola netted 10 and tallied six rebounds, while Jamie Metcalf scored eight and hit two of Lathrop’s five total 3-pointers.

Ripon Chr. 49, Richmond 15

Nearly all of the Knights’ 11-man roster scored during a rout at the Liberty Tournament in Brentwood. Amber Hilvers and Mariah Alger each chipped in eight points.

Ripon Christian (2-3) only gave up two points during the final 16 minutes. Carly Tillema hauled in a team-high 14 rebounds for the Knights, who will face Liberty at 11 a.m. for the consolation title.

SOPOHOMORE

East Union 51, Lathrop 23

The Lancers (5-0) didn’t have much difficulty making it to the finals of the Camelot Classic after LaNia Taylor dropped 14 points.

Alissa Burrola and Marcella Sayler each scored eight for East Union, who will face its cross-town rival Manteca tonight at 7:30 p.m. at East Union for the tournament title.